1955 Chevrolet Bel Air/150/210

This 1955 Chevrolet 210 demonstrates why it's always good to have a plan. The cohesive build isn't flashy but shows a clarity of purpose that few resto-mods can claim. With a recent frame-up restoration just completed only 2,000 miles ago, she's ready to enjoy. From the shiny white paint to the elegant interior, it has been beautifully updated without diluting the performance that lives underneath.Starting with a 210 instead of a Bel Air (or not converting it to a Bel Air) gives this 2-door sedan a rather unique look. The clean lines of the original design are unaltered, but plenty of time went into getting the sheetmetal straight, smooth, and lined up just right. The bright white paint gleams and is perhaps a few shades brighter than the 1955 version, but it has a clean, sleek look that both updates the look and keeps it traditional without flashy graphics. As with any '50s car, there's still a lot of bright trim, all of which was restored with the rest of the bodywork, including the stainless quarter panel trim that identifies this as a 210. One-piece California bumpers help complete the look and have been refinished to show standards, along with the bright emblems on the hood and trunk. Tinted glass adds a modern look that works well with the white paint and helps keep it nice and comfortable inside when temperatures start to soar.The same subtle mind that put the exterior together clearly had a vision for the tan interior. Retaining the stock bench seats was fine, but they were covered in gorgeous leatherette upholstery that pays tribute to the original patterns while giving it a more relaxed, updated look. Matching door panels are trimmed with the original hardware and handles, and the garnish moldings were given a light gold finish that adds a splash of brightness that rolls into the dash. That bright strip of trim that runs across the instrument panel is actually tiny Chevy bowtie emblems and the original gauges were replaced with custom dials from Classic Instruments. Other upgrades include the wood-rimmed wheel and an AM/FM/cassette stereo head unit and a B&M shifter for the 700R4 underneath. There's almost zero wear, of course, and that beautifully finished trunk, it's ready for your next road trip.That's a small block Chevy under the hood, but this one displaces a nice, round 400 cubic inches making it feel like a big block when you dip into the power. Topped by a Holley 4-barrel carburetor and a medium-rise intake, this sucker is built for torque. Nicely finished with bright engine enamel and finned valve covers, not to mention the chrome air cleaner, it has a flashy look that is still fairly period correct. MSD supplied the ignition and there's a mild cam inside so the idle sounds lopey and it pulls like a freight train on the highway, where the owner claims it'll scamper to 100 MPH in the blink of an eye. A 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission is part of that equation, and it spins the original rear end. It features a new dual exhaust system, plus a set of chrome Rallys with blackwall tires showing enough sidewall to look right.Nicely finished with a great all-of-a-piece look, this '55 Chevy is the kind of hobby car that does everything well. Call today!